


epoch [HIATUS]

by Hamartia97



Series: because we are supernovas [3]
Category: Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: M/M, but then it'll turn to angst, daniel is... daniel, i warned you, i will dedicate myself for fluff this time, jihoon has a height complex, protect the kids they're too precious, singledad!au, yes that au i've been postponing for months
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-23 01:59:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13179996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hamartia97/pseuds/Hamartia97
Summary: “Daniel,”The stranger smiles gently at him, and Jihoon must be lying if he says that his heart doesn’t skip a beat.“My name is Kang Daniel, and you?”.....(Daniel is twenty-four and Jihoon has just turned twenty when they find a home in each other.)





	epoch [HIATUS]

_rather than a house, i want to build homes_  
_where people can come back to,_  
_where [ _ ] can return to._

 

 

 

#1

 

 

 

Daniel parks his Porche right in front of the deserted daycare. His grip on the steering wheel is bone-tight as he works his jaw in frustration.

 

 _Breathe,_ he tells himself. _Might as well get this over._

Just a step into the courtyard, he accidentally locks eyes with a young woman who has just exited the building. He bows thrice to mask the tension across his shoulders; waist bending a full ninety degrees each time and watches her doing the same. Daniel gives out a smile, tongue darting out to lick a stripe across his lower lip behind his thick scarf. Fuck, he’s so nervous and he doesn’t even know _why_. “G-Good afternoon, mam.”

 

“Good afternoon, my name is Hani. I’m one of the teachers here.” she introduces herself with a bright smile. “Is there anything I can help you with, sir?”

 

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry, this is my first time picking up my son, so—yeah.” Daniel scratches his cheek nervously. He feels slightly bad bothering the teacher’s during her brief free time, but his worry overruns his sense of niceness. “His name is Woojin, is he still inside?”

 

“Woojin’s father?” Hani tilts her head and moves towards the door, all the while motioning him to come inside. “After you, sir.” 

 

After giving her yet another nervous nod, Daniel walks inside and looks around the room. He sees a handful of worrying parents mingling with each other, but no sign of anyone who looks like they are about to eat their toenails while waiting for their child. Daniel knows that he seems calm and collected from the outside, but his inside is a total chaos. This is, after all, his first time ever picking up his son after leaving the task to Seongwoo for years. He’s a bit nervous, no, scratch that he feels extremely nervous and the bustling people around him doesn’t help at all.

 

“Woojin-ah! There you are!” Daniel turns rigid when Hani suddenly hollers right in his ears. “Come here, darling!”

 

The sound of tapping footsteps begins to echo faintly from afar. Daniel lets a relieved smile paint his face when he catches a bundle of bright yellow walking steadily into his direction. He raises his brow at the slight dragging in his steps and the way his bucket hat covers half of his face, but decides to not mull over it too much.

 

_Maybe he has a stomach ache or something._

 

Daniel moves first then, gathering the child into his arms without so much as a greeting. He feels his son stiffening up at his touch as if it is an unfamiliar sensation, then begins to struggle against his chest.

 

“W-Wait, Woojin-ah?” Daniel stops short when a little fist connects with his stomach quite hard, forcing him to retract his arms back. “Ow, that hurts you little menace, what’s wrong with y—?”

 

Before Daniel can finish his sentence, the bucket hat on top his son’s head topples down the floor, revealing a bright auburn hair.

 

Daniel pauses.

 

_Since when Woojin has red hair?_

“Let me go, mister.” The child whines, looking up to give him the most unimpressed frown he can muster. “I don’t know you.”

 

Daniel does a double take, his mouth hanging open in shock, and he looks thoroughly stunned down to the core.

 

When he realizes his mistake though, it’s too late. The child, who’s clearly not his son, begins to struggle against his broad chest. Then a pair of chubby hands moves up, reaching over his comparatively wide shoulders before they push, _hard_. Panic settles in his bones when he feels himself toppling backward all the while dragging the poor child with him.

 

“You,” Daniel yelps when a hand strikes his shoulder hard from behind, stopping them from falling to the ground. “What are you doing with my brother?”

 

Daniel turns his head back in reflex—

 

_Who?_

 

—only to lose his breath all at once.

 

 

 

* * *

—[ **e p o c h** ]—

 }{

{ maybe it’s at twenty, when my heart stops my time and says; } _  
let’s not forget this_ _._

 }{

  _because_ _we are supernovas; 03_ **  
** 「Kang **Daniel** /Park **Jihoon** ; SingleDad! **AU** 」

* * *

 

 

 

Standing with his scrunched-up nose and deer eyes, a boy, probably still in his late teens considering his youthful face, regards him with a hostile look. He watches as winter sun highlights the pink of his cheeks and brought the glow of his porcelain skin, making his presence even more glorious. His hair is colored pale pink in color just like his favorite fruit and his eyes—

 

His eyes are _so_ fucking pretty.

 

“I said, what are you doing with my brother, sir?”

 

Daniel blinks. Twice. The young male stares back at him, eyes calculating and cold.

 

“You’re not going to answer?” he suddenly takes a step forward, “Are you by chance… a pedophile?”

 

Daniel chokes on his spit at the accusation. Hushed whispers begin to fill the entire building, and he feels more than a handful staring skeptically at him. He hides his face deeper into his scarf. The weight of this situation finally hits him with full force, and Daniel suddenly feels like dying.

 

_Did he just—_

That, is the moment when his soul finally leaves his body.

 

_Oh god._

The boy frowns at him, or better at his lack of response. “Pedophile-ssi, why are you still holding Woojin like that?”

 

“Wait,” Daniel snaps out from his mental breakdown to give him an utterly confused look. “His name is Woojin?”

 

The boy folds his arms in front of his chest. “Yes, mister. His name is Woojin. So, would you kindly let go of my brother? We need to go home right now.”

 

Daniel immediately retracts his hand, shivering when he catches the said child staring at him with his frighteningly blank eyes. He then pushes him into the stranger’s awaiting arms carefully, bowing his head deep into his scarf to hide his reddening cheeks.

 

(He’s starting to regret everything. If only he knew that he would be branded as a pedophile, he wouldn’t have put a bravado and let Seongwoo pick Woojin up as usual.)

 

“I’m, uh, sorry,” he grimaces. “I thought that your brother is—um, my son.”

 

“Huh,” The boy cocks his brow at him while Daniel is still visibly recovering from how mortified he felt. “What an interesting self-defense.” He stares at him a for a moment too long, a pair of deer-like eyes sparkling with avid interest, before he shifts his sight. “Woojin-ah, let’s go home!”

 

Daniel watches the child making his way towards the boy with wide eyes and just in a count of minutes, they disappear behind the door, leaving him crouching on the floor like a total idiot.

 

_What just happened?_

Before he can contemplate his pitiful life more, something small and hard comes barreling into his back with a loud smack. Daniel flinches at the brutal impact, feeling his bones scooting an inch or two from their joints. The familiar smell of baby powder and vanilla begins to assault his senses. Daniel turns around to find his grinning son latching onto his bicep.

 

“Dad!” he pipes up, all teeth and gums and flushed cheeks. “You really came!”

 

“Jinnie!” Daniel exclaims in relief and pulls the small child into a tight hug. If he could, he would have cried right here and now. “Thank god, for a moment there I thought I came to the wrong daycare.”

 

“You’re so silly, dad.” Woojin grins against his shoulder. “That’s why you should listen to Uncle Seongwoo when he’s talking!”

 

“You know that your uncle talks nonsense most the times.” Daniel shakes his head with exaggeration. “It’s tiring, Jinnie. I think my ears would fall off.”

 

“What are you talking about!” he laughs when Daniel nuzzles his nose into his neck. “Stop it, dad! It tickles!”

 

Daniel stops his ministration only to leave a big smooch on Woojin’s forehead, enticing more giggle from the child. “Okay, okay. Let’s go home, shall we?”

 

When Woojin welcomes his outstretched hand and laces his small fingers against his, Daniel suddenly forgets about those hauntingly pretty eyes.

 

_It’s not like we’re going to meet again, right?_

(How wrong he was.)

 

 

 

* * *

 **c h** **a p t e r   o n e**  
「to know; _」

* * *

 

 

 

“Park Jihoon!”

 

Jihoon yelps when he accidentally chokes on the chocolate he has been nibbling on for the last minutes. With difficulties, he gulps down before he reaches over to slap the intruder hard in his stomach only to catch thin air between his fingers.

 

“Kim Donghan what the fuck—” he coughs, eyes watering from the slight burn behind his throat. “I almost died, you dipshit!”

 

The younger male ignores his theatrical response and begins to stare at him with narrowed brows. "O-kay,” his brows climb higher. “What's with the scowl, huh?” he asks, tone suspicious. “It’s scary!”

 

Jihoon’s right eye twitches. “That’s what you’re concerned about? Seriously?”

 

“Just answer my question,” he demands. “What were you thinking? Don’t tell me you got into another fight with your brother because I swear to god—.”

 

“Stop that sentence or I’m going to burn your entire drawing supplies,” Jihoon warns. “It’s nothing serious, okay? I just met a very… vertically challenging guy yesterday.”

 

Donghan loses his balance for a second. “Huh? Did you mean vertically challenged guy?”

 

“No.” he repeats in all seriousness, “He’s not vertically challenged but vertically challeng- _ing_. There’s a difference.”

 

“What do you—oh god, please, not this _again_.” he glares at him openly. “Why couldn’t you be normal for once and say that you met a tall guy?”

 

“Sorry. This guy keeps coming into my mind for the past days and I just can’t help but feel annoyed.” Jihoon says with a grimace. “He was so fucking tall. And big. He had a really big frame too.”

 

Before anyone says something, it’s not that Jihoon is jealous or something, god forbid. He just has a... slight allergy against obnoxiously tall people and prefers to not having met them at all in any chance possible. And this particular stranger was exceptionally annoying because not only he’s so fucking tall, he also has the body and face to match.

 

_The world is so unfair._

 

“Just when I thought that you’re already cured you have to come with this bullshit again,” Donghan says blankly. But just a moment later he moves closer and looks at Jihoon dead in his eyes. “So, what are you waiting for? Tell me about this guy.”

 

Jihoon snorts at the sudden change but ends up answering him anyway.

 

“I told you that I was picking up Woojin yesterday because Jisung-hyung couldn’t make it in time, right? So this guy happened to be holding him when I arrived like, I dunno, a creep? He was just so goddamn tall and big and his shoulders— ” he closes his eyes, sighing. “They were obnoxiously wide. I think you can even measure them up to 60 cm. Isn’t that shit is illegal?”

 

Donghan raises his brow at his last sentence, but holds his tongue and lets him continue again.

 

“And it’s really… annoying? Because he was taking too much of my space.” he frowns, “But he’s handsome, though. I’d give him that.”

 

There’s a click if tongue, and then silence. Jihoon blinks his eyes open to Donghan’s blank face.

 

“Are you sick?” he leans forward to press his palm on Jihoon’s forehead. “Did Jonghyun-hyung feed you peaches again? You didn’t eat anything weird yesterday on the way home, right? Or maybe you—”

 

Jihoon slaps his hand away and frowns at him, or maybe, at the dramatic expression on his face. “Is it wrong for me to praise someone?”

 

“Are we really talking about this?” Donghan snorts. “I don’t know, Jihoon. You either worship every person who’s handsomer—wait, was that even a word?” he pauses, then shrugs. “Anyway, you either worship people who're more handsome than you or you hate their guts because _surprise_ , they are taller than you.”

 

“I do _not_.” Jihoon glares. “Everyone is literally taller than me. Even _you_ are taller than me and I still regard you as one of my minions.”

 

“Stop calling me your minion for god’s sake! What’s wrong with using the word best friend?” Donghan pins him with an annoyed look. “But back on the topic, your standard of beauty has always been exceptionally different. I’m curious about this guy.”

 

“I just appreciate people with unique traits more, okay?” Jihoon huffs. “There’s that.”

 

“Unique traits my ass. You told me I look like a fucking troll when we first met and I’m this handsome.” He mutters under his breath. “Anyway Jihoon-ah—”

 

Jihoon frowns. “I don’t really like that tone you’re using.”

 

“—I’m very, very confused right now,” he cuts him off. “Which category does this vertically-challenging-guy fall into?”

 

“I don’t understand what are you talking about,” he says instead, feigning innocence. “Stop teasing me already. I’m trying to remind myself that it’s not okay to hate someone just because they’re taller than me.”

 

He raises his eyebrow. “And you think it’s going to work because…?”

 

“Because he’s handsome.” Jihoon deadpans. “Like you said, I can’t really hate a handsome face like that.”

 

“Now, this is interesting.” he raises his eyebrow at him. “Do you have a crush on him or something?”

 

“Kim Donghan, shut up,” he growls low in his throat, cheeks heating up with the sudden thought of romance. “I don’t have a crush on him—or anyone, for that matter.”

 

“But that’s some detailed information you’ve got there,” Donghan whines. “If I didn’t know better, I would say that you’d been ogling him.”

 

Jihoon looks at him, scandalized.

 

“I do not _ogle_.”

 

“You do.”

 

“I do _not_.”

 

“You definitely do,” he fires back. “You ogle all the times with that big eyes of yours. Just like that time with Taehyung-sunbae, you were ogling him so hard that I was afraid your eyeballs would pop out. Admit it, Park Jihoon. You have _no_ shame.”

 

“Shut it you overgrown troll.” Jihoon glares at him, face flaming red in fury and embarrassment. “I’m your superior. You have to abide by my words. Forget every stupid action I’ve done in the past. You got that?”

 

“I’m—”

 

“You got that or I’m going to burn your entire manga collection along with your drawing supplies.” threatens Jihoon.

 

“But—”

 

“In case you think I’m joking,” he cuts him off, “I’m not. I’ll burn them to ashes.”

 

“You’re impossible.” The older male shakes his head, a hint of a smile tugging at his mouth. “Totally impossible.”

 

Jihoon folds his arms, huffing. “But you love me anyway.”

 

Donghan laughs.

 

“That’s true.”

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

“You _what?”_ Seongwoo clutches his stomach. “Oh my god, this is hilarious I can’t believe you.”

 

“Stop slandering me.” Daniel hisses. “It’s not my fault that there’s another child with the same name as my son.”

 

“B-But,” he bursts out in laughter again. “Daniel, my dear friend, how could you not check his face _before_ you hug him? No wonder the kid’s brother thought you’re a pedophile.”

 

Daniel actually pauses at that.

 

 _True_ _, how could I not?_

“Fuck,” Seongwoo chokes, bending his body in half with laughter. “You’re really an idiot.”

 

“Stop that, asshole.” He hisses low then proceeds to look around with cautious eyes. “We’re in public now! How far you’re trying to embarrass me?”

 

“What? Afraid that your name will be tarnished?” Seongwoo whistles. “Nah, don’t worry about that. Even though you’re a pedophile, I’m sure many people out there are still willing to marry you in a heartbeat.”

 

Daniel scowls at the blatant insult and begins to walk faster into the direction of his office. The obnoxiously loud sound of Seongwoo’s laughter is annoying his ears but there’s nothing he can do to stop him anyway. The moment he steps inside, Daniel flings the door against Seongwoo’s face only to have him restraining the door with his foot. He clicks his tongue in annoyance but lets him enter his room.

 

“So,” Wiping the tears from his eyes, Seongwoo grins wolfishly at him. “Still thinking that you can handle the job?”

 

“Don’t underestimate me!” he drops himself on his chair and watches him doing the same. “I’m not going to back down that easily.”

 

Seongwoo leans his cheek into his palm and gave out a teasing smile. “Even though the whole daycare thinks that you’re a pedophile?”

 

“Yes, even though the whole daycare thinks that I’m a—” Daniel pauses. “What the hell? I’m not a pedophile!”

 

“Suit yourself.” shrugs Seongwoo nonchalantly. “Anyway, what does this dream boy of yours look like?”

 

“He’s not my dream boy.” Daniel hisses low, but then folds his arms in front of him a second later, tongue sticking out in concentration. “If I’m not mistaken… he’s shorter than me? Probably only reaching the middle of my chest? He had this fluffy peach hair and slanted, deer-like eyes. They were really pretty.” he nods to himself. “And he’s younger, definitely younger than me by a lot.”

 

Seongwoo looks at him blankly. Daniel raises his brow.

 

“No wonder he called you a pedophile, ck.” Seongwoo sighs dramatically. “You had been ogling him the whole damn time.”

 

“I did _not_ ogle him.” Daniel rebukes in disbelief. “What are you talking about?”

 

The older male rolls his eyes, “Sure Daniel. Whatever you say.”

 

He glares at him. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

 

“I believe you, you big baby.” Seongwoo flicks his forehead. “Anyway, care to elaborate? I’ve been in charge of picking up Woojin for years, maybe I know this person or something.”

 

The question propels Daniel to think hard. Now that he recalls it again, the boy’s face had this healthy blush that always seemed to present every time he talked or moved. He also remembers that he wore this beautifully crafted silver pendant, the pretty metal blinding his eyes with its bright glare.

 

As Daniel tries to dig more around his foggy memories, the closer he gets to picture him. That boy, standing with his arms crossed while staring at him with his pretty eyes intently. A silver pendant around his neck. White hoodie and yellow jacket. Fluffy earmuffs. And also, his half smile that was bordering to a smirk.

 

 _That’s definitely him_ , Daniel thinks.

 

“I think he wore a silver pendant around his neck. And he had a really deep voice and chubby cheeks?” he says. “And ah! His face happened to redden a lot too. Do you know him?”

 

Seongwoo suddenly goes silent. Something unreadable is lurking behind his eyes before it disappears into their usual bright chestnut. He smiles at him then, his smile a bit strained and rough at the edges, shaking his head. “No, I don’t know him. Maybe his brother’s new or something.”

 

“Really?” Daniel induces. “Are you sure?”

 

“Why are you so curious about him anyway? Do you have a crush or something, Daniel?” he asks, lifting his brows and wiggling them teasingly. “I don’t know that you like them younger.”

 

With Seongwoo’s words filling his head with utter embarrassment, it feels like Daniel’s completely burning from head to toe. Choosing to ignore the jab, Daniel focuses on the tower of documents on his desk. He doesn’t need more teasing from the older male, his pride is already mangled beyond repair from the previous day’s misunderstanding.

 

(But it doesn’t mean that he’s not curious, though.)

 

“You should stop, Daniel.”

 

He turns around to meet Seongwoo’s dark eyes, but he’s avoiding him in favor of the stack of documents he’s been eyeing for the last minutes. Daniel watches as he picks one of them and flips it open.

 

“I know that look.” The older male says simply without glancing up to meet his eyes. “You’re curious about him, aren’t you?”

 

Daniel blinks. “Huh?”

 

“Just remember your priority.” he continues softly while flipping up the document in his hands back and forth. “Think about Jin-ah a little more. You don’t even have enough time for him. What makes you think you have time to woo some cute boy and lure him to your bed?”

 

When Daniel doesn’t reply, Seongwoo goes back to his document. It’s fifty-six pages of their new tender deal which cost them billions if he’s not mistaken.

 

“Was that an advice or something else, hm?”

 

Seongwoo turns the page over and pretends he hasn’t heard. His posture goes rigid as if he’s been electrocuted.

 

“You know that I’m trying to change,” murmurs Daniel after a minute of silence. “I promised myself that I won’t neglect Jin anymore. So don’t worry too much.”

 

“Everything’s good, then.” The older male finally straightens out, forcing a smile. “I hope that you will remember those words, Niel-ah.”

 

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

Jihoon stops and blinks at the familiar – and yet not really familiar – small district in front of him. It looks like he had been daydreaming the whole time that he didn’t realize that his feet were taking him back to this place again.

 

“Huh, this is weird.” he muses out loud, taking off one of his headsets from his ear. “Hyung will kill me if he knows that I’m back here again.”  

 

After spending a long time away from this particular district, Jihoon has almost forgotten it even existed, though it was the first place in town that he remembers quite clearly from his childhood. He and his brother used to walk together on this exact same street every day while nibbling on a popsicle on the way home from school. They would walk side by side, and his brother would hold his small hand tightly inside his larger one. He would even give him a piggyback ride if he asked nicely.

 

Some days, they would stop by the small mini market five kilometers down the street to buy stuff, mostly fresh sesame bread, rice, and some eggs. Jihoon remembers that they always ran out of food quickly. His brother would lowkey tease him for eating like a pig and he would muster up his best glare and told him off.

 

_How many years it’s been again?_

 

Without him knowing, a smile appears on his face. Now he has the sudden urge to see his brother, but he knows that he’s too busy for a visit right now. So Jihoon shakes his head and makes a mental note to call him later when he’s got home.

 

He spends a few more minutes standing there before he turns around and plucks in his headset again. The soft, calming tune of some unknown indie band begins to float inside his head as he proceeds to walk again. But before he can take a step further, there’s a small vibration coming from the pocket of his jacket.

**jisungie** **-hyung** [12:28 pm]

_jihoon-ah? are you still at school?_

**wingkingie** [12:30 pm]

 _nope, i’m otw home right now.  
_ _what’s wrong, hyung?_

**jisungie** **-hyung** [12:31 pm]

_can you pick up woojinie again today?_

His step falters for a moment before he picks up his pace again. This is the third time this week, and honestly, Jihoon is more than a little bit confused. Jisung and the rest of his brothers know that he’s currently busy preparing for college entrance exam right now, and even before that, picking up Woojin hadn’t been his responsibility at all. So this week really came as a surprise to him.

 

Not that Jihoon is complaining. He’s glad to help, really, and besides, Woojin is a sweet little child, if not a bit violent at times. Jihoon loves spending his time with the younger boy, having taken him under his care years ago. So no, he has no problem with picking up the child despite his busy schedules.

 

(It just that somewhere in him, he knows that something is wrong and no one is planning to tell him anything.)

**wingkingie** [12:35 pm]

 _huh, again?  
_ _did something happen?_

**jisungie-hyung** [12:36 pm]

 _it’s nothing serious, hyung is still at work_  
_minki_ _and sungwoonie got jammed in traffic too,  
__you’re our only hope ;;)_

****

**wingkingie** [12:37 pm]

 _uhh, u should have told me earlier :3_  
_but it’s ok_  
_leave it to me_

**jisungie-hyung** [12:37 pm]

_seriously, jihoon-ah?_

**wingkingie** [12:37 pm]

_no prob, hyung  
i’ll call u when we get home :)>-_

**jisungie-hyung** [12:38 pm]

_remind me to kiss you later  
you’re a lifesaver :-x_

**wingkingie** [12:39 pm]

 _i_ _know_  
_but i don’t wanna that kiss_  
_save it, hyung_

****

**jisungie-hyung** [12:42 pm]

 _i’ll_ _kiss you and no one can stop me kiddo, mark my words_  
_be careful on your way home, alright?_  
_no talking with strangers!_

**wingkingie** [12:42 pm]

_i’m not a kid_

****

**jisungie-hyung** [12:43 pm]

 _you are for me. take care, jihoonie!  
l_ _ove you :*_

 

Jihoon scrapes his hair back, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He will let it slide for now. After a minute or two, he starts punching words against the screen of his phone then waits until it glows bright green.

 

 **wingkingie** [12:45 pm]

_love u too hyung :” >  
be safe_

**jisungie-hyung** [12:46 pm]

 _i_ _will~  
see you at home :)_

Smiling, he pushes his phone back into his pocket and starts walking again. It’s beginning to snow, he notices. All around him, people are doing their Christmas shopping and he can pick up the smell of pine and chocolates in the air. Jihoon lets another smile paint his face.

 

_Ah, what to do. I suddenly miss them all._

 

(Looks like he has another person on the list to call.)

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

The weather has changed for the worse, it seems. Daniel sighs and fights the urge to open his window. He loves winter to death, but it doesn’t mean that he wants to catch a cold so early this month.

 

When the light turns red again, he drums his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel. The traffic is quite dead today. He can only hear the occasional thrum of a bus engine and the click-clack sounds of someone’s heels in the distance. And yet, Daniel can’t wait to pick up his son and cook him dinner like he promised him two days ago.

 

He doesn’t know why, but it feels like the traffic lights take much longer time to change today. Bored out of his mind, he casts his sight into the outside world which by now has turned into that of a white wonderland. He sees a few people carrying bags and bags of what could be a Christmas present. If he squints, he can even see a skinny wooden doll sticking over one of the bags. Daniel frowns. He knows that he still has more than enough time, Christmas is still two months away after all, but he suddenly has the urge to buy his son something.

 

_Maybe I should stop by the store tomorrow and drag Seongwoo-hyung with me, after all he knows Jinnie the best. And also—_

 

His thoughts are broken when a batch of snow falls down from the tree above into his windshield. Chuckling, he turns on the wiper and watches it disappears back to the ground. Just his luck, a few seconds after that the light finally turns green. Daniel tightens the grip on the steering wheel before his feet slowly releases the brake and lets the car move forward.

 

He drives through the snowy road while listening to one of his favorite song on loop. The window beside him is slightly opened, and he can briefly smell pines and chocolates in the air. Daniel grins. Christmas always means a load of sweets to take home. He really needs to drop by the store tomorrow.

 

At the next stop down the road, he looks out the foggy glass again and accidentally catches someone standing alone between the falling snow. The weak winter sun flashes through the clouds over his small frame, and there is something strangely familiar with the picture.

_It couldn’t be—_

 

Daniel blinks, and the next thing he knows, the person has disappeared from his sight.

 

 

 

#

 

 

 

Winter sun grinds into his brain and Jihoon suddenly feels like a total idiot for not bringing his baseball cap this morning before he’d gone to school.

 

“Should’ve listened to Jisung-hyung,” he mumbles to himself while trying to keep himself warm. Now he feels cold too. Looks like wearing his favorite yellow jersey wasn’t a bright choice after all. “I’m going to die if this continues.”

 

Before he can grumble more, the front door of the daycare opens with a loud bang. Jihoon cringes at the sudden increase in volume and his eyes begin roaming around to find his brother’s bright auburn hair. He hopes that he’s not wearing his hat today. It’s getting harder to spot him when half the children here wear the same yellow bucket hat.

 

Thankfully, Jihoon manages to catch Woojin’s firetruck red backpack from his position at the entrance. He walks towards the younger boy and immediately brings him inside a bear hug.

 

Without him asking, the seven-year-old pulls out his empty lunch box and water bottle and tells him about his days. He talks softly, his words washing over him and in turn Jihoon pats his head tenderly and kisses the tip of his nose. Woojin punches his chest, clearly shy at the affectionate gesture, but he can see a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.

 

“Let’s go home, alright?” Jihoon kisses the top of his head. “I heard that Minki-hyung is going to cook your favorite for dinner.”

 

“Really?” Woojin visibly brightens up at the news. “You’re not lying?”

 

"You can have my polar bear plushie if we don’t eat curry tonight,”  Jihoon says seriously while holding up three fingers. “Scout's Honor.”

 

“You love that plushie,” Woojin says in awe before he nods eagerly at him. “Okay, I’m going to believe hyung this time.”

 

“Thank you, little captain.” Jihoon nuzzles his nose into his neck before he stands up, “Now let’s hit the road before the weather gets even worse.”

 

Jihoon takes his hand in his, and they start to walk side by side in the direction of their home. But just a few steps later, his face suddenly collides with something hard. He closes his eyes in reflex and tries to stabilize himself, but it’s hard considering that his balance is shit. To his relief, he feels a long arm circling itself around his waist and another gripping his upper arm, saving him from the bleak future of falling flat into his bottom and dragging his poor brother with him.

 

“A-Are you okay? You’re not hurt, are you?” someone asks in panic, but Jihoon is still in a daze to even say a word. “Oh god, did you crash your head too hard? Can you hear me? Do you need me to take you to the hospital?”

 

After blinking a few times, Jihoon looks up to see someone hovering over him in concern. He blinks again. That face sure is familiar. His sharp eyes, jaws, big frame, and also that ash-colored hair and cross earring. Jihoon is pretty sure he’d seen them somewhere.

 

_Where did I—ah._

 

How could he ever forget that annoyingly tall guy which keeps haunting his mind?

 

“You,” As soon as he’s standing on his own feet again, Jihoon immediately points his index finger at the person, “You’re that pedophile from three days ago, right?”

 

The accused person can only grimace at the not so subtle insult. Well, in Jihoon’s defense, he’s not trying to insult him. His mouth just doesn’t have enough sense to filter his brain. So there’s that.

 

“I’m not a pedophile.” he denies him weakly, and it sounds like a puppy’s whine in Jihoon’s ears. “Please stop calling me that.”

 

_I know. But you’re annoying me and I need to get back at you somehow._

 

“You aren’t?” he frowns, feigning confusion. “But you—”

 

“Oh god, that just a mistake I swear!” he quickly cuts him off with a near hysterical laugh. “I wasn’t lying when I said that your brother has the same name as my son. I’m so sorry for not checking anything beforehand, but please stop calling me a pedophile, I beg you.”

 

Jihoon knows that talking with a stranger is not a good thing to do. Especially a stranger who had the guts to hug some random kid on the street. But this particular stranger is really good-looking, especially up close. And Jihoon will forever stand with the saying of; _handsome people can do no wrong._

 

(Nah. He’s just super weak for those puppy eyes.)

 

“You’re not lying?” Jihoon asks just to get more reaction from him. He knows that it’s a wrong thing to do, but he can’t help it. His reaction is really entertaining. “Because I swear to god—”

 

“No!” he’s quick to raise his hands up in surrender, “I’m innocent! Please believe me…”

 

The handsome stranger is wearing such a pitiful face like he’s killed his puppy or something. And that just doesn’t sit well with him. He’s not a puppy killer.

 

Jihoon looks down to face Woojin, who apparently has been staring at the stranger the whole time. He pulls him up and settles him against his chest. “What do you think?”

 

The child stares blankly at him for a full minute, before he shrugs. Jihoon grins and pinches his twitching nose, which in turn raising a small cry from the younger boy.

 

“Fine,” Jihoon turns back to face the stranger, all the while evading Woojin’s chubby hands from reaching his nose. “I believe you.”

 

“Um, that’s good…?” Instead of bowing down in front of him like he’d expected, the stranger laughs nervously and begins to look at him with a conflicted expression on his face. “Do you, um, need help?”

 

Confused, Jihoon tips his head to the side.

 

“With what?”

 

He points at something on his hair, brows creasing in worry.

 

“That.”

 

Jihoon stares at him blankly for a moment, before he breaks into laughter.

 

_God, this is really fun._

 

“You mean him?” he points at the little menace which by now has climbed up to his shoulders to latch his small fingers between his brightly colored hair “Don’t worry. It’s normal.”

 

 _“…normal?”_ If possible, the stranger in front of him turns paler than he already is. “Are you sure? Doesn’t it hurt?”

 

“Nope, just peachy.” Jihoon shakes his head. His scalp does hurt as hell, but it’s a thousand times better than Woojin’s mean hook. Thank god he’s not feeling like using him as a punching bag today. He really should stop teasing his little brother if he wants to keep on living. “Anyway, stranger-ssi, what’s your name?”

 

He pauses at the unexpected question. “Huh?”

 

“Your name,” Jihoon pauses to scold his brother when he pulls too hard before he continues again. “You told me to not call you a pedophile. The least you can do for me is to tell me your name, right?”

 

There’s no immediate answer. After laughing at Woojin’s cute little pout, Jihoon looks up to see the stranger blinking at him in bewilderment. For a few seconds, he just stares at him as if he’s grown another head, but the next thing he does surprise him.

 

“Daniel,”

 

The stranger smiles gently at him, and Jihoon must be lying if he says that his heart doesn’t skip a beat.

 

“My name is Kang Daniel, and you?”

 

 

 

#

_because rather than obtaining my own happiness,  
i want to find [_] happiness instead._

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Um… hello? Did anyone miss me?
> 
> *krik krik*
> 
>  After 12463293746 years I finally come back from my hiatus *insert jisung’s claps here*  
>    
> Another great news is, my semester finally ended six days ago! *cries in happiness* I was planning to write as soon as possible, but then I was busy helping the church for Christmas preparation, so yeah, I couldn’t really write at all. Now that the celebration has ended, I can finally squeeze some time to write this chapter for a small gift. My actual Christmas gift (to my youth, which is by now has reached 10k+ words count, oh god) has been postponed until January, so please have this chapter as replacement :)  
>    
> Breaking news; I’m soft. *bursts out crying*  
>    
> As per requested by winkingparkji (Machidahiyori), this is the promised Nielwink SingleDad!AU. Because I’m feeling bad for putting it off so long (blame college pls), I’m going to make it longer than intended :) Maybe five to six chapter just like aeternum vale? Well, we’ll see :)
> 
> Oh well, I should stop writing long fics like seriously, especially slice-of-life themed ones… But I just couldn’t resist it. The idea had been sitting at the corner of my mind for months and I had to get it out somehow. This chapter is only the introduction though, and I promise major fluff to come in the next chapter :x But well, I’m going to tackle the conflict in later chapters so don’t say that I didn’t warn you *sniffs*
> 
> So what do you think? I hope you all like this story too! Don’t worry, because I’m finally hitting my hard-earned holiday (thank god! I can’t imagine myself catching sleep under our studio’s table again, being an arch stud is really hard TT TT) I will try to update more regularly like I used to back in June/July. Please give this fic many love~ ^^
> 
> P.s: Sorry for any (read: many) grammatical errors in this story! I’ll try better to fix it next time.  
> P.s.s: It’s okay to comment in your mother’s language~ I understand English (obviously), Bahasa (my mother’s language), and lil bit of Japanese. But like I said, the other languages are fine~ Gotrans exists after all


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